


walking on cold thin ice

by siojo



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cabins, Cuddling & Snuggling, Getting Together, Love Confessions, M/M, Snowed In, Talking, Walks In The Woods, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-20
Updated: 2019-11-20
Packaged: 2021-02-16 09:04:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21505354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/siojo/pseuds/siojo
Summary: With a storm approaching, supposed to drop more snow than any storm has in years, Ace and Marco are forced to take refuge in a cave instead of continuing their hunt for their cabin.
Relationships: Fushichou Marco | Phoenix Marco/Portgas D. Ace
Comments: 7
Kudos: 120





	walking on cold thin ice

“How lost are we?” Ace asks blowing into his hands to try and regain some of the feeling in his fingertips, the beanie that he had found stuffed into his vest pocket tugged down over his ears. “Because the temperature is dropping and I don’t want to become a statistic.”

“You’re the one that lost the map,” Marco reminds him without any heat as he frowns at the trees around them, squinting at something in the distance. “I would say fairly lost. We might want to think about finding somewhere to ride this storm out instead of making it back to the cabin.”

Ace shivers as the next gust of wind sweeps through the trees, cold enough to feel the bite of it through the layers he had put on before leaving the cabin, “Don’t suppose that you’ve got some matches hidden in your pocket in case we need them?”

“Not today, left them in my other jacket. Here, does that look like trees to you? I left my glasses on the desk when we left on our hike.”

“You’re more blind than I thought, it’s caves,” Ace answers, leaning closer to catch sight of what Marco was gesturing at. “Which is helpful, even if we won’t be able to start a fire.”

Marco rolls his eyes, “I don’t see you carrying matches or a lighter.”

“Lost my lighter to the river. Or did you forget the ice ate my boot?” Ace wiggles his toes and regrets it, feeling the water still soaking his sock. “Think the caves are safe enough to risk using them?”

“Well, it’s either caves or we keep walking and see what happens. I don’t know about you but I’m not tempted to get caught in what the news forecast called the worst projected snowstorm in thirty years.”

Ace snorts, following Marco’s lead as they hurried towards the caves, letting him peek in and pick which of the handful dotting the cliff face was the best. He’s not sure what makes the cave the best of them, but Marco picks one of the ones with a smaller entrance which forces them both to crawl inside and curved partway. Hurrying back out after looking around, promising to return in just a moment.

“Are your pants still soaked?” Marco asks finally, dumping the mess of pine needles and dead leaves onto the ground. “I know the ice broke on you, but I was hoping that the walk would help.”

“Not enough,” Ace admits. “Everything mid-calf and down is still wet. Not dripping anymore, but still wet enough. What’s with the,” he gestures at the mess. “New game?”

“The floor’s mostly stone, the heat will spread out, but we don’t want that right now. This should be a better option. I think,” Marco admits, pulling in another armful. “I saw something about it online once.”

Ace snorts, scooting over when Marco comes in with a third load, “You saw it on one of those sites that you go on to get a feel for poor web design, don’t you?”

“I don’t actually remember, sit on the leaves before it gets ever colder. I think we have enough and there’s already flurries starting,” Marco yawns, dropping down onto his mess and laying down. “We’re probably going to be stuck here for a little bit.”

“I am sorry about the map.”

“You fell through a weak spot in the ice, Ace, it might not have been both feet, but you didn’t know that it wouldn’t break further, I’m not mad,” Marco says softly. “I’m a little annoyed that we lost the map but we both know that I get cranky when I’m hungry.”

Ace grins, cheek pressed against his knee as he watches Marco in the dim light of the cave, “And I did make you miss out on breakfast.”

“You ate all the bacon and then proceeded to burn every pancake you tried to make because you were distracted by email. What were you even emailing about?”

“Work having a meltdown because I’m not there to hold their hand. No one could figure out where the paperwork for the merger was hiding, even though they were all CCed into the email with the documents attached,” Ace rolls his eyes, remembering the conference call he had been subjected to. “You do know that I’m going to steal half of that in a minute.”

Marco yawns, one arm thrown over his face as he closes his eyes, “I figured as much. The cold is only going to get worse. I dragged in some firewood incase one of us wanted to try our luck at starting one.”

“Maybe later, isn’t there supposed to be a way to rub sticks together for a fire,” Ace mutters, flopping down beside Marco with a quiet sound. “It’s warmer than I thought.”

“If there is, than I don’t know it,” Marco answers frowning slightly. “This shouldn’t be a long storm, so there is that in our favor. Just cold and with more snow than normal. What we’ll have to worry about most of all is going to be freezing.” Ace hums, grinning when Marco raises an eyebrow, his arm lifting enough to see. “What?”

“Nothing.”

“I know that look. That is not a look that means nothing.”

Ace rolls his eyes, “Heavens forbid that I don’t explain what I mean.”

“You don’t have to, but it would be nice,” Marco admits, dropping his arm back over his eyes. “I should have bought a second map.”

“You didn’t know that I would lose the first one or that the ice by the cabin wouldn’t be as solid as we were told it would be. I am sorry that I got us lost trying to find the back route to the cabin.”

“I got us lost, you didn’t even know there was a back route to the cabin.”

Ace laughs, feeling something loosen in his chest when Marco does too, “Maybe we can both accept some fault?”

“Deal,” Marco agrees. “Think my brothers are going to hold this over us for the rest of our lives?”

“Thatch got lost in your house before, he can’t exactly say anything without us bringing it up,” Ace twists, pressing their sides together. “Plus if we make it back before they arrive, no one really needs to know?”

“Then they’ll only tease us about being locked into the cabin alone together, complete with Haruta’s weird eyebrow wiggles.”

Ace snorts, pressing his face into Marco’s shoulder as he tries not to laugh. Haruta always made the stupidest faces when he was trying to insinuate that they should date each other, even stupider when he thought that they weren’t catching his increasingly obvious hints.

“You can move closer,” Marco mutters. “It’s going to get colder.”

“And you’re the one with a real jacket?”

Marco snorts, “You did decide to wear that stupid vest over your shirt and nothing else.”

“It’s not a stupid vest, it’s extremly warm. Even if it doesn’t cover more of me. Luffy got it for me, but I think either Robin or Nami helped him pick it out. Or he liked it was orange, since it’s my color.”

“Of course it is,” Marco pauses, “I think it’s snowing.”

“I did notice that my foot feels like it’s in ice again,” Ace scowls, pulling his foot up and sliding it into the mess of pine needles. “How are you so warm?”

“Because I’m not cold blooded,” Marco teases, shifting slightly to dig through his pockets. “Here, they’re technically gloves, but I think they’ll be warmer than a wet sock.”

“Anything is warmer than a wet sock,” Ace states taking one glove happily. It was warmer than his sock had been and Ace is always happy to avoid frostbite. “Thanks Marco.”

“You’re welcome,” Marco pauses for a long moment, voice softer when he speaks again. “I’ve missed spending time with you, recently, I mean.”

“Work has been hectic, I had to threaten my boss to get this week. Apparently I’m insanely important and they can’t afford to let me leave for any length of time,” Ace sighs, grinning when Marco turns to face him. “I couldn’t miss this.”

“Our yearly trip into the mountains to spend the holidays with my family?”

“Time with you,” Ace corrects. “You’re important to me, you know.”

Ace is glad that it’s dark, even if he can imagine the look on Marco’s face well enough to feel his own heating up.

“You’re important to me too. With how busy you’ve been it’s been hard to spend any time with you. The last time we had dinner, you ran out before we could order.”

“We could try to have lunch together more?” Ace offers, stopping when Marco’s hand curves around his bicep, thumb sliding slowly back and forth. “Marco?”

Marco sighs, leaning forward enough to press their foreheads together, “You, I care about you. Alot.”

“We’re best friends,” Ace says softly, smiling when Marco snorts. “We are.”

“Absolutely. But that’s not entirely what I meant. I thought it was fairly obvious, Ace, I haven’t exactly been subtle,” Marco pauses. “You didn’t notice?”

“Notice?”

“That I’m fairly in love with you. It’s why my brothers keep teasing me, I thought you were just trying not to tell me that you didn’t feel the same because it would make things awkward.”

Ace laughs, grabbing Marco’s coat before he can move away, “You never said. You never mentioned or hinted-”

“I hinted so many times, Ace. It’s not important, I just,” Marco pauses and Ace can hear the shaky breath he releases. “I was already planning on telling you while we were here, I was going to wait, so it didn’t ruin the holiday.”

“You being in love with me would ruin the holiday?”

“Unwanted confessions have a way of making things uncomfortable, I find.”

“Why would you assume it’s unwanted?” Ace swallows hard, wishing he could see Marco’s face. Even this close it’s impossible to make it out in the dark. “I care about you too. Your brothers weren’t entirely wrong that I act stupidly around you.”

“Why would you-”

“Because I’m in love with you? You’ve seen what I’ve acted like in front of people who’ve caught my attention, what did you think was happening?”

Marco chokes on a laugh, hand squeezing tight for just a moment, “You’re in love with me?”

“Well, I consider it a very intense form of like? Mostly because being your best friend is a bit different than being your boyfriend. If that makes sense?”

“It makes a lot of sense,” Marco pauses as Ace shivers, the temperature dropping again as the wind whistles past the cave’s entrance. “You’re getting colder, aren’t you?”

Ace nods, “just a little.”

Marco hums, pulling back for a moment before tugging Ace closer, his jacket falling over Ace’s shoulder, “I think we can share, unless you’re not comfortable cuddling.”

“Like we’ve never cuddled before,” Ace mutters, pressing his face into Marco’s chest as one of his arms curls around Ace’s back. “This doesn’t mean our other conversation is over!”

“And here I thought you would forget. It doesn’t have to mean anything, even if we both like each other, not if it’s uncomfortable.”

“You say that like I haven’t been trying to confess to you for ages. I, being your friend is important to me, even more so than liking you, why do you think I kept deciding not to confess?” Ace smiles when Marco laughs, muffled into his hair. “Think we should talk about it when we get back?”

“The cabin is a better place for it. Instead of a cave while we wait out a snow storm,” Marco agrees, even if Ace ignores the way Marco pulls him closer. “But it’s something we’re going to talk about?”

Ace hums, “Yeah, it is. We’re friends, you know. You can talk about crushes on friends with them. Well, at least we can, right?”

“I think we could, without making things awkward. Just, don’t fall asleep, I’ve read a number of stories where falling asleep in the cold led to never waking up. Deal?”

“Deal.”

* * *

“Let me see your foot,” Marco laughs, ducking under the pillow that Ace swings at him. “Ace, seriously, you spent hours in the cold without a boot after taking a dip in the river, let me see your foot.”

“No,” Ace grins, mostly cocooned in one of the blankets that he had stolen off the back of the couch when they had finally reached the cabin. Pillow held tightly as he watched Marco. “I’m fine, Marco. Stop worrying.”

“The last time you told me to stop worrying, you had three broken fingers, you’re not exactly the best judge of what is wrong with you,” Marco counters, narrowing his eyes as Ace shifts to try and keep enough space between them for his next attack. “May I please check you over?”

“I said I was fine.”

Marco rolls his eyes, catching the pillow when Ace swipes at him again and tugging him closer with it, “that was childish, you know.”

“I think that’s not my fault,” Ace teases, grinning easily up at him. “Though, if you were trying to cuddle again, I think you made your point.”

“You’re ridiculous,” Marco mutters, leaning backwards to fall onto the rug that his father insisted on keeping before the fire, dragging Ace down on top of him. “Is this alright?”

Ace laughs, eyes bright as he tilts his head to the side, “I think I like this spot, unless you’re interested in me moving?”

“You can stay,” Marco answers, brushing Ace’s hair back from his face. “I did mean it, I need to look at your foot, even if you think it’s fine. Frostbite isn’t something to ignore.”

“I did promise that it wasn’t frostbitten, you’re going to have to trust me on that. It is my foot, I know better than anyone what’s happening to it.”

“If you insist.”

“I do insist,” Ace agrees, yawning as he rests his chin on Marco’s chest. “I was going to tell you tonight, you know. Before your family got here and there wasn’t a moment of privacy,” he smiles softly. “If I didn’t chicken out again.”

“I wouldn’t have been able to say much,” Marco admits, his fingers tracing the curve of Ace’s cheek, throat dry as Ace leans into the touch. “I’ve chickened out of telling you so many times that I’ve lost count. Not that it matters that much.”

“I suppose that it doesn’t. When exactly will they get here?”

“Does it matter?”

Ace raises an eyebrow, “Not really, but I think we’re both would rather they not arrive with me sprawled across your chest, bad enough that they’re going to tease us normally.”

“That would be a little bit awkward to explain, wouldn’t it?” Marco agrees, not bothering to try to move. “Thatch was suppose to be here after lunch, but with the storm coming and all the snow, he’s bound to be stuck until tomorrow, don’t you think?”

“I would like to have more time without them.”

“With just the two of us, you mean.”

“You’re not allowed to tease me about enjoying time with you,” Ace says loftily. “I’m your best friend, you know. Best friends enjoy spending lots of time together.”

Marco laughs, “Too much time together, if you hear our other friends tell it.”

“They’re jealous that I like you best. After all, who else would I use like a pillow? Or cuddle with? Or spend hours doing absolutely nothing with because I enjoy their company?”

“Well, if best friends can spend so much time together, I’m sure that someone could spend even more time with their boyfriend. People don’t usually complain when someone wants to spend time alone with the person they’re dating.”

Ace hums, “They do. I remember how much Luffy and I teased Sabo about his girlfriend when they started dating. But, it wouldn’t be anything we weren’t used to, after all. But,” he tips his head to the side, smiling. “We’re not dating.”

Marco turns, pulling Ace to move with him, until they’re both on their sides facing each other, “I suppose that we aren’t. Could always change that, you know. All you would have to do was agree.”

“Agree to what? I’ve never been asked anything to possibly agree to.”

“Now you’re just being obnoxious. What do I even like you for?”

Ace laughs, twisting to free himself from his cocoon of blankets and throwing part of it over Marco as he leans into him again, “You never did tell me.”

“Didn’t I? That is my fault,” Marco admits, grinning when Ace laughs again. “I can’t think of a way to ask you without sounding like a teenager.”

“That would be a horrible thing to sound like. We could just both agree to it? That we’re dating. Unless we both want to try and fail to sound like adults about this.”

“So we’re dating then?”

“I would think so,” Ace nods, sighing when they both hear a car pulling up the drive. “Do you think if we ignore them long enough, they’ll go away?”

“They have keys,” Marco answers tiredly, as he listens to them laughing about something outside. “We should probably get up or they’re going to start before we even get a chance to say hello.”

“I’m asleep,” Ace lies, closing his eyes and hiding his face against Marco’s shoulder, hand loosely holding onto Marco’s sweater. “They can’t tease me if I’m sleeping.”

Marco snorts, pushing Ace’s hair back as he fails to pretend to be asleep, “You’re not sleeping, I’m not going to be the only one awake when they come in here to find us..”

“Fine, but I expect more cuddling later and even your siblings teasing won’t stop me.”

“I’m sure that I can find some time for that later tonight, but we should probably get up before one of them finds out the door is locked and wants to know what is keeping us.”

“Heaven forbid that they mind their own business,” Ace says rolling his eyes as he sits up, stealing all of his blanket back as he leans against the couch. “I seem to remember being promised cocoa.”

“I can do that,” Marco pauses, brushing a kiss to Ace’s cheek with a grin. “We can tell them later, don’t you think?”


End file.
